Device for preventing a body depending from ropes from swinging

ABSTRACT

A device for preventing a rope suspended body from swinging which includes two ropes secured at a distance from each other to the body the swinging of which is to be prevented. A tensioning device is provided for each rope and the wire ropes are arranged at an angle to the vertical and to each other. The tensioning devices keep the respective ropes under tension with a force which is the same for each rope. These devices are connected with each other such that when the tensions in the rope become unequal the tensioning device which is subjected to the comparatively higher load will exert a higher correcting pulling force.

United States Patent 11 1 Verschoof July 3, 1973 [54] DEVICE FOR PREVENTING A BODY 3,043,444 7/1962 Melton. 212/20 DEPENDING FROM ROPES FROM 3.179.259 4/1965 McLean 212/11 7 SWINGING FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [76] lnventor: Jelis Verschoof, Voorhoutstraat 1, 742094 9/1968 Canada 254/184 Haarlem, Netherlands [22] Filed; 3, 1971 Primary Exarrzinen-Harvey C. Hornsby Attorney-Eric H. Waters et al. [2]] Appl. No.: 168,539

[57] ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data A 4 1970 Neth d d 7011527 A device for preventing a rope suspended body from e an S swinging which includes two ropes secured at a distance from each other to the body the swinging of if 212/125 gz i gg -which is to be prevented. A tensioning device is proi 125 vided for each rope and the wire ropes are arranged at 1 0 can: 2 an angle to the vertical and to each other. The tensioning devices keep the respective ropes under tension 56 R f d with a force which is the same for each rope. These de- 1 e erences I e vicesare connected with each other such that when the UNITED STATES PATENTS tensions in the rope become unequal the tensioning de- 3,532,324 10/1970 Crittenden 212/14 vice which is subjected to the comparatively higher 3,273,360 9/1966 weisenbachw 254/134 load will exert a higher correcting pulling force. 3,476,263 11/1969 Komatsu 212/14 3,510,107 5/1970 Fidler 254/184 7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures DEVICE FOR PREVENTING A BODY DEPENDING FROM ROPES FROM SWINGING FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to devices for preventing bodies depending from ropes from swinging.

The invention relates more particularly to a device to prevent a container depending from hoisting ropes from swinging in horizontal direction during loading and unloading of containers or load cases by means of a so-called container bridge, as might occur when a load receives a horizontal acceleration or because wind forces are acting upon the load.

BACKGROUND Due to the increase in transportation with load cases, there is a need to be able to load and unload these cases with greater efficiency. As during loading, the load cases often have to be lowered accurately to a particular place, movements of the cases in horizontal direction cannot be tolerated. However, without the use of a device which prevents these horizontal movements from occurring, accurate location cannot be assured.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION An object of the invention is to provide an effective device which prevents loads from swaying or swinging during loading or unloading.

According to the invention, said object is achieved in that at least two wire ropes are secured at a distance from each other by an engaging means or directly to a body, said wire ropes being passed to a tensioning device, there being a separate such device for each wire rope, at an angle to the vertical and not running parallel to each other. Each said device keeps its wire rope under tension with a certain force which is the same for each rope. The tensioning devices are coupled with each other such that when the tensions in the wire ropes become unequal and, as a consequence thereof, the loads of the tensioning devices become unequal, said tensioning device which is subjected to the comparatively higher load will exert a higher pulling force.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates diagrammatically, by way of example only, one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of electrical connections used with the apparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 shows a modification of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the drawing is shown a movable trolley 1 of a container bridge, on which trolley a hoisting winch gear 2 is provided. The hoisting ropes 3 extend around sheaves 4 to the fixed points 5. The sheaves 4 are provided on the container yoke 6 which engages the con tainer 7.

In addition, wire ropes 8 are secured to the container yoke 6, and each wire rope extends over the guide sheave 9 to a tensioning drum 10. These tensioning drums l keep the wire ropes or bracing wires 8 under tension during hoisting and lowering of the container 7 with the same force for each wire rope, the tensile forces of course being sufficiently high to prevent slackening of the bracing wires, the resultant of which is less than the weight of the container 7. Furthermore, the tensioning drums 10 are coupled with each other in such a way that with a rotation of one of the drums relative to the other the driving moment of the comparatively heavier loaded tension drum will be increased.

When the load 7 tends to sway to the right because for instance a wind force is acting on the load, the left bracing wire 8 will tend to rotate the appertaining tensioning drum 10 relative to the other tensioning drum. However, this rotation will be counteracted at once by the increase effected therewith of the driving moment of said tensioning drum 10 mentioned first, so that the load 7 is prevented from swaying to the right.

In FIG. 2, the motors driving the drums 10 are indicated at M M.,. G, G are synchro transducers from which signals are fed into the electrical differentials D and so forth. P and the like are control potentiometers. T,, T,, are thyristors controlling the coupling of the motors M M In operation the motors M M are continuously energized so that a pulling force is exerted on the wire ropes 8, and these ropes are kept under tension. If the tension in the ropes becomes unequal or some of the ropes are subjected to a higher load, this causes the electrical differential D to be actuated and a higher coupling to be exerted by the motor concerned.

In FIG. 3, the synchro transducers G, G are replaced by devices K, K measuring the load on the wires 8 and transmitting a signal corresponding to this load to the electrical differentials D. This arrangement permits for an overcompensation of a motor M in order to compensate also for differences in elongation of the wires.

I claim:

'1. A device for the purpose of preventing a rope suspended body from swinging, said device comprising at least two ropes secured at a distance from each other to the body tensioning means for varying the tension in each said rope, said ropes being connected to a respective one of the tensioning means, said ropes being at an angle to the vertical and to each other, said tensioning means operating to maintain the respective ropes under equal tension forces, said tensioning mans being coupled with each other such that, when the tension forces in the ropes become unequal, the tensioning means which is subjected to the comparatively higher load will exert a higher, correcting, pulling force on the associated rope.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said tensioning means include respective rope drums adapted for being driven, said rope drums being coupled with each other so that a rotation of one of the drums relative to the other will cause a change in the driving moment of one of the drums.

3. A device according to claim 2 comprising electric means responsive to said change in the driveng moment and by which the drums are coupled with each other so that the drums will act correctively.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said ropes cross each other and are connected to respectively opposite sides of said body.

5. A device according to claim I, wherein said ropes are wire ropes.

6. A device according to claim 1 further comprising hoisting ropes connected to the body.

7. A device according to claim 6 comprising a trolley supporting said first two ropes and hoisting ropes.

i I C III 

1. A device for the purpose of preventing a rope suspended body from swinging, said device comprising at least two ropes secured at a distance from each other to the body tensioning means for varying the tension in each said rope, said ropes being connected to a respective one of the tensioning means, said ropes being at an angle to the vertical and to each other, said tensioning means operating to maintain the respective ropes under equal tension forces, said tensioning mans being coupled with each other such that, when the tension forces in the ropes become unequal, the tensioning means which is subjected to the comparatively higher load will exert a higher, correcting, pulling force on the associated rope.
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said tensioning means include respective rope drums adapted for being driven, said rope drums being coupled with each other so that a rotation of one of the drums relative to the other will cause a change in the driving moment of one of the drums.
 3. A device according to claim 2 comprising electric means responsive to said change in the driveng moment and by which the drums are coupled with each other so that the drums will act correctively.
 4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said ropes cross each other and are connected to respectively opposite sides of said body.
 5. A device according to claim 1, wherein said ropes are wire ropes.
 6. A device according to claim 1 further comprising hoisting ropes connected to the body.
 7. A device according to claim 6 comprising a trolley supporting said first two ropes and hoisting ropes. 